


Hope is a Waking Dream

by Raven_Ehtar



Category: LazyTown
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Childhood Trauma, Dreams, M/M, Nightmares, POV Alternating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2018-06-12
Packaged: 2019-05-21 10:18:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14913536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raven_Ehtar/pseuds/Raven_Ehtar
Summary: When Robbie had first started getting the foreign dreams, it had been explained to him that he was seeing the same things his soul mate saw when they slept. He, like the majority of the population, would have some nights that were full of someone else’s dreams, and he would experience them exactly the same way that unknown soul mate would experience them. Like a stage play where nothing changed but the main actor, he would be forced to go through the weird, confounding night hallucinations of a stranger.





	Hope is a Waking Dream

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first (and thus far only) attempt at a soulmate AU. Despite having some basic objections to the concept of soulmates I do enjoy reading the AUs, and I enjoyed writing this, so maybe there'll be more in the future! :)

Sleep was a problem for Robbie Rotten. In general he loved to sleep, to drowse and to nap. Anything which dropped him out of reality and let him get some peace and quiet had his love and loyalty. This had been especially true when he’d been a kid, but it still held on into adulthood. 

The first problem with sleeping was just _falling_ asleep. It didn’t seem to matter how tired he was, how much his eyeballs ached or his body hurt, sometimes sleep would just refuse to come, hovering beyond his reach. The struggle for sleep could go on for days at a time, until Robbie was certain the only reason he fell unconscious was because it was physically impossible to stay awake. It seemed the height of unfairness that he, Robbie Rotten, the poster child for laziness, should suffer from insomnia of all things. The world’s sense of justice had obviously been supplanted by its sense of irony. 

The second problem, and sometimes the worse one, was the dreams he might have to endure once he had finally caught hold of sleep. 

It wasn’t that he suffered all that much from nightmares. He’d had nightmares since childhood, and they were all so familiar that he could sing along with them at this point. No, it was the _other_ dreams, the ones he got from that other person who seemed to live a life as far removed from his own as could be managed without a rocket ship. 

When he’d first started getting the foreign dreams, it had been explained to him that he was seeing the same things his soul mate saw when they slept. He, like the majority of the population, would have some nights that were full of someone else’s dreams, and he would experience them exactly the same way that unknown soul mate would experience them. Like a stage play where nothing changed but the main actor, he would be forced to go through the weird, confounding night hallucinations of a stranger. 

Most everyone thought it was romantic, an adventure to catch such glimpses of their destined partner. A mystery to which they were given clues to solve. It wasn’t as though soul mates could interact with each other in dreams, one was just shoved into the dream of another, with all the strange points of reference and subconscious messages intact from that other mind. In theory one _could_ get a good look at the life their soul mate lived, and from that puzzle out a little of who they were. Robbie had heard rumors of soul mates finding each other that way in the past. But normally it led to nothing. One might be looking into the life of their soul mate, but it was through the cracked and warped lens of the subconscious. Reason and logic very rarely had any say in dreams. 

Robbie found the whole thing irritating at best and a serious hindrance at worst. The dreams that visited him, those of his supposed soul mate somewhere else in the world, were all bright and shining things, full of light and laughter. The exhilaration of running through a lush forest, the wonder of a beach full of black sand, whipping winds, impossible stunts and homes full of gentle, happy folk. 

When he had been a child, those dreams had been bright jewels he had looked forward to finding, an escape from the dark world he lived in when he was awake. As he grew older, he came to resent the dreams, which only taunted him with visions of a life he could never have. Whoever his soul mate was, they had been dealt a much more favorable hand than he had. Whoever that soul mate was, what did they think of the dark, clinging things his brain conjured up? Someone who lived a life that could generate such dreams, even if they ever did find each other, what would they want with him? Just because one had a soul mate didn’t guarantee happiness, or even compatibility. It just promised potential - the greatest potential, but _potential_ all the same. 

Robbie resented the visions of such a happy, untainted being who was his soul mate. He resented the person who had the potential to make him as happy as he felt when he shared those dreams. Someone he was destined for, and who was surely destined to reject Robbie as soon as they met him. 

He hated those dreams, and wished they would stop. However happy he was while he was asleep, it all evaporated when he woke. 

It was only made worse those nights when his soul mate dreamed of plummeting from a great height. 

While in the dreams of a soul mate, one experienced the same emotions as the original dreamer, but it didn’t prevent you from experiencing your own response to any given situation in the dream world as well. Whoever his soul mate was, Robbie had decided that they were at least mildly insane. In dreams they took a huge joy and thrill in jumping from high places to fall with no safety measures. The dreams were always full of such detail and sensation that Robbie had no doubt his soul mate had done it in the waking world as well. 

Robbie was terrified of heights. He lived _underground_ , for god’s sake. Those dreams where his soul mate would be standing at some high up precipice and look down to see their toes, and then the landscape spread under them like a rumpled quilt… Robbie shuddered. It made the soles of his feet sweat and his guts turn to water just thinking about it. He wasn’t sure, if and when he ever met his soul mate, if he could ever love a lunatic who dreamed about jumping out of planes and off of cliffs with no parachute. 

What kind of idiot thought that was a fun way to get around?

* * *

Sportacus woke troubled. He’d had another one of those dreams, one that came from his soul mate. It hadn’t been as dark as they could sometimes get, but he still woke disturbed, the aftertaste of his soul mate’s distress lingering in his mind. 

He hated knowing that his soul mate, whoever he was - Sportacus was almost certain it was a _he_ \- had such dreams so regularly. Imagining him waking in the middle of the night, alone with those images still floating before his eyes, Sportacus’ heart ached. More than once Sportacus had been pulled from the dream prematurely, woken by the sound of his crystal going off. Whether it was meant for his soul mate or himself he was never quite sure. 

Worse than not being able to hold his soul mate close and gentle him down from the nightmares was knowing that even if he were there with him, there was probably nothing he could do to prevent the dreams from returning. There was only so much that a soul mate could do for their other half, and his other half had been plagued by these nightmares since they’d both been children. 

Rubbing at his face, Sportacus got out of bed a little slower than usual, going for water before beginning the rest of his morning routine. 

It was hard to know where the nightmares of his soul mate stemmed from. There were clues littered about within the dreams themselves, but dreams and especially nightmares had a tendency to warp facts and blow realities out of proportion. Sportacus worried over how much of what was in the dreams was based in reality, and hoped it was all just generated by anxiety of some sort. 

Finished with his water, the elf went into his morning exercise routine. It felt good to stretch and move after a nightmare. The physical activity was a reliable cure for too much mental stimulation, the strain and burn of muscles taking away all of the attention from figments and putting it squarely into the present. He hoped his soul mate had some similar way of distracting himself after his nightmares. If he didn’t, then Sportacus would just have to teach him. Once he found him. 

Sportacus had always known what he had wanted to be. For as long as he could remember he wanted to be a hero, someone who helped those who were in trouble. He’d worked hard, both before and after Nine had taken him as an apprentice, and always with joy. He worked hard, but it wasn’t hard work, not when he thought ahead to all the good her would be able to accomplish. Even before he’d been pronounced an official hero he had been able to help those around him, and it was the best feeling in the world. 

He’d always wanted to be a hero, but he was also fairly certain that the nightmares of his soul mate had driven him even harder to be the best he could be. Of all the people he wanted to save, his soul mate, trapped in nightmares, was the one he wanted to save the most. 

He wished he knew who his soul mate was. It was a common wish among those who had not yet met their other halves, but whenever he woke from those dreams that fed on the fear of his unknown love, he wanted only to rush to his side and protect him. If he knew where to find him, he would. 

In the meantime, he would have to hope that his own dreams could provide some of the warmth and comfort he couldn’t give in person.

* * *

Lazy Town was the laziest town on the planet, and it was all thanks to him. 

Well, maybe not _all_ thanks to him, but he had certainly helped, and he was making sure that it stayed that way. 

The adults were all indolent, and the children, rather than using all of their young energy on running around and being noisy, stayed indoors to play games and eat. The streets were empty and overgrown with weeds, the walls cracking with neglect, and it had been years since a child had even used the playground. It was good. It was perfect. It was _quiet._

Robbie luxuriated in the quietness of his Lair, in the emptiness that could only be achieved when everything was just made to stop for a while. It might not be the height of all villainy, taking on one little town, but it was all his, whether those who lived there realized it or not. And besides, he had given up that sort of ‘high villainy’ a long time ago, distancing himself from both the idea and the practice. It had played an omniscient role in his early years, dictating his every move and the way his parents… well. 

He’d grown, gone out on his own and left all of that behind. He was his own villain, now, and he chose what sort of villainy he would get up to, when and why. There was no one to tell him what to do and - fortunately - no one to stop him. Lazy Town had no hero, and no interest or energy in saving itself. 

At least until that tiny bubblegum brat had come to town.

Stephanie Meanswell, niece to the Mayor. She’d waltzed into town and had already tried to get all the children up and… _playing._ Noisy, rowdy _play,_ and _dancing_ of all things. Who did she think she was, trying to undo all of Robbie’s wonderful work? Why would anyone want to move around so much when it was so much easier just to sit still?

Robbie didn’t know and couldn’t understand why, but it didn’t really matter. The pink girl was only a minor threat to the peace and easily dealt with. A few distractions for the kids she was trying to recruit in to her energetic activities and peace was restored, protected. 

Lazy Town would stay lazy forever. 

Walking around the town - an activity he tried to avoid most days - Robbie ran his eye over everything to make certain all was as it should be. Every overflowing garbage can, every empty bench, every untrimmed bush… Yes, everything seemed to be in its proper place. 

Even the pink girl, pulling weeds away from the hero tube, a cylinder in her hand…

Wait- _what?_

Robbie watched in horror as the pink girl tore away the wonderful weeds, loaded the cylinder into the tube and pulled the lever.

* * *

Heroing wasn’t always a full time job. There were plenty of times when Sportacus found himself a little bored, sailing over the land in his airship, hoping for something to do. Not that he wanted anyone to be in danger, but a hero without anyone to save was a bit silly.

Pedaling along, Sportacus watched the landscape unroll beneath him, a beautiful checkerboard of uneven greens and yellows, here and there interrupted by a dark patch of forest or a bright and shining lake. It was a beautiful country he was in, as beautiful as his own in its way. 

A familiar alarm went off unexpectedly. With an easy effort, Sportacus lifted up out of the driver’s seat and flipped round just in time to snatch a mail cylinder out of the air. “I’ve got mail!” Grinning widely, he opened it. It looked like he wouldn’t be bored anymore!

 _‘To whom it may concern,’_ ran the letter on pink paper. _‘I need help. There’s no one to play with in Lazytown. Sincerely, Stephanie.’_

Sportacus grinned even wider. This was a rescue mission he would really enjoy from the sound of it. 

He checked his book for any information on Lazy Town and where it was on his map. Once he had an idea of where he was going and what he might find when he got there, Sportacus jumped back into the driver’s seat and began to pedal much faster than before. 

Lazy Town didn’t need to worry, Sportacus was on the way!

* * *

Robbie’s hopes that a hero might not be coming after all were dashed the moment he saw the ridiculous blue airship sail into sight through the clouds. 

A hero. A hero had come to Lazy Town to ruin all of his work, all of the effort he’d put into being lazy! Well, he wasn’t going to stand for it, not for an instant! He would fight for his Lazy Town, his perfect little burg of silence, and no upstart of a hero was going to outdo him. He was Robbie Rotten and he was the best ever!

He ducked behind the wall, watching, waiting to catch a glimpse of this flying party pooper, his new nemesis, and see what he was up against.

The airship came to a stop over Stephanie. High above, Robbie could just see a hatch open, and then a figure come out to stand on the edge. It raised its arms up before it like a diver, and- 

_Oh, no._

The figure jumped out of the airship.

Robbie’s heart stopped as the figure dropped, the familiar feeling of vertigo and itching soles sweeping over him as the hero sped to earth. It was hard to tell, but it looked as though the hero was tumbling as they fell, flipping and twisting until-

Robbie flinched, not wanting to see what happened-

The hero landed, on top of a wall and perfectly fine, fists on his hips.

Robbie stared. He could hardly help it. The hero who had come was solidly built, every limb full of bulging muscles and giving Robbie the overall impression of a bit of a brick wall with a face. Though his face was better looking than a brick wall, with a wide smile and a rather silly mustache. The longer Robbie stared at him in fact, the more Robbie felt like he ought to know him from somewhere…

The hero spotted Stephanie and with a series of gravity - defying flips and flops, made his way to her. 

Robbie realized that where he standing, he would be in plain sight if the hero looked over - and that for some reason he was clutching at his own shirtfront. He let go and dropped down below the wall. 

Stretching his ears, he listened as the pink girl and the blue hero introduced themselves. The hero’s name was Sportacus - ludicrous name, couldn’t he come up with a better superhero name than that? Although, it did sound a little familiar. Had he heard the name somewhere before?

He watched as the little number ‘10’ in the middle of the hero’s chest lit up and began to beep. That, too, was puzzlingly familiar. Where would he have heard _that?_

“Someone’s in trouble!” Sportacus made the announcement and immediately rushed off, as much on his hands and in the air as on his feet. Even that was familiar, like a nagging sense of déjà vu.

Robbie continued to observe the second intruder into Lazy Town. He watched how he moved, the way he constantly smiled; he listened to the sound of his chest alarm and his voice with its oddly lilting accent. It was all so familiar, like something just on the edge of a dream. If he could just put… his finger… on…

Oh.

Oh, _no._

Not a _hero_ of all things.

* * *

Sportacus looked around Lazy Town, his new home. At least his home for now. When he’d first arrived it had been quite a mess, but with the whole town involved they had gotten the first wave of cleaning up done in a snap. There would need to be some repair work on a road or two, some walls and other structures, but for the first day, he thought they were all doing a fantastic job.

The kids had already gone home, and rather than return to his airship right away, Sportacus was taking the opportunity to jog around Lazy Town, getting to know it. It was small, but interesting looking. And from what the children had been telling him, the town even had its own villain. It was a little surprising for a town so small and out of the way, but he supposed that they could show up anywhere. 

As he was passing through the east side of town, Robbie Rotten abruptly popped out of some roadside bushes and into Sportacus’ path, one hand held out in front of him as a signal to stop. Unfortunately for him, Sportacus didn’t happen to be looking in front of him, and was approaching much faster than anticipated. Realizing his mistake and impending collision, Robbie shrieked and ducked down, covering his head.

Thankfully Sportacus had good reflexes. Still without quite seeing what it was he was avoiding, Sportacus leapt into the air, flipped, and landed just behind Robbie. 

“Are you alright?” He asked, holding out his hands towards the purple striped ball.

Said ball straightened up, full of brash dignity. “Of course I am,” he said haughtily. “ _I_ am _always_ alright.”

Sportacus smiled, taking in this new person. He was very tall, and made a look even taller with his suit of purple stripes. He was slender and had a mobile kind of face. Even as Sportacus watched, it was shifting between expressions too fast to make out what each individual one was. 

With his expression still undecided, he began to introduce himself. “I think it only right to tell you, Sportaflip-“

“Sportacus.”

“-Sportacluck, that _I_ … am _Robbie Rotten._ ”

Sportacus took the hand offered to him and gave it a brisk shake, making Robbie wince. “A pleasure to meet you, Robbie!”

Robbie yanked his hand back from him, massaging his shoulder, his smile somewhat strained. “Yes, of course it is. A pleasure to meet you, too, hero. I just thought it only fair to inform you that I am the villain of this town, and you are muscling in on _my_ territory, buster. You won’t find me,” he swept back at his hair, “such an easy adversary to defeat.”

Sportacus raised his eyebrows, and looked over the man before him again, unable to hold back a smile. The kids had told him a little about Robbie, and he had sounded fairly harmless, even through the eyes of a child. That impression wasn’t changing in the least now that he’d met him. 

“Really?”

“Yes! For you see, I am a criminal mastermind! And none of your fancy flippity flops will be able to save you when the true battle begins!”

Sportacus did his best to keep from laughing at the display. This Robbie was a fun character, and for some reason his voice sounded familiar…

A moment passed by, and some of the confidence seemed to seep out of Robbie. He slouched a bit, and brought his hands in front of him to fidget. “This may seem like a forward question, but I need to have this cleared up for certain as soon as possible.” He cleared his throat, his ears going bright red. “By chance do you ever dream about beaches full of black sand, and sheer cliffs with screaming birds?”

Sportacus frowned, and Robbie fidgeted even more. “Yes,” he said eventually. “But why do… oh. _Oh!_ ”

Robbie Rotten squawked in surprise as Sportacus scooped him up into a bear hug, lifting him clear up off the ground despite the height difference. “I found you!” He shouted, happiness running through him so much he felt positively giddy with it. “I found you at last! Ha ha!”

Robbie, meantime, was struggling, but not very effectively. “Put me down, you Sportaloon, before you break both our necks!”

Sportacus did as he was asked, just as much because he wanted to _see_ Robbie, to really _look_ at him. His eyes were gray, he realized. He’d thought they were blue but they were gray. Robbie fidgeted even more under the stare, his nose beginning to twitch. 

This was his soul mate. _His. Soul. Mate._ He’d always secretly worried that he would never find him, and that he would only ever be haunted by those nightmares that plagued Robbie…

Another realization hit him, and he clapped his hands around one of Robbie’s, making him jump. “Oh, Robbie. I’m so sorry.”

Robbie frowned in confusion. “For what?”

“For not being there to save you,” he said, his voice softening. “For not being by your side when we were kids, and not any of those times when you woke from nightmares. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to be your hero.”

The blush on Robbie’s ears had spread, creeping over his cheeks to meet over the bridge of his nose. It was adorable, Sportacus decided. 

“That’s hardly your fault,” he muttered. “We had no idea where the other of us was.”

“True, but still…” He gave Robbie’s hand a squeeze, and smiled up at his soul mate. “I’m here now, and I intend to stay. I’ll always be near to come to your rescue.” 

At that Robbie scoffed and pulled his hand away. “Don’t be ridiculous! Heroes don’t save villains, and that is exactly what we are!” He motioned at Sportacus with both hands to take in his whole body. “Hero…” He swept a hand down his own body. “Villain!”

But Sportacus was not to be deterred. He had found his other half, and nothing was going to keep him from making sure that other half was happy, safe, loved, and always had someone there when the nightmares passed. He smiled at Robbie.

“Then I guess I’ll just have to keep saving you from yourself, won’t I?”

Robbie scoffed again. “I’d just like to see you try, Sportaloon.”

Sportacus just smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, everyone! ♥
> 
> [Come say hi on tumblr!](http://ehtarwrites.tumblr.com/)


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